Grade determining apparatus



July 23, 1935. f El H, CANQN 2,008,816

GRADE DETERMINING APPARATUS Filed March 14,11953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 T V N,

24 6 E@ H 67 .A ,f5/E4 I0 /l 7 I HTIHJ l@ E2@ @y @y @T @T11 lo o o o o o Ol o E@ I fp nr m H f F leo 16 'L7 "1/7 1F* 16 I6 n E? l 16 16 l I' AI4 -14 ]4- ]4-' M14- ll I 3f: 13 10| I l f l l 1 I l5 16 zal `1 |50 17 16 l j M' 1 18 18 JJ l' 11 ISQM 10 l5, /156 Q @MQWQQ Q/Q 977i@ Q 3 fz July 23, 1935. E. H. CANON v GRADE DETERMINING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Filed March 14, 1933 Patented July 23, 1935 This invention Tr oFFlcE 'n GRADE DETERMINING APPARATUS Edward H. Canon, McKeesport, Pa.

Application March 121,

12 Claims.

:relates to an apparatusfor use in vconstructing and improving roads, and more particularly to an apparatus for readily proving the subgrade and nish grade of the road.

One object is to provide an apparatus for use in road building readily secure a whereby it will be possible to perfect and true riding surface.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for use in securing the sub and finish grades in road construction work, which is readily adaptable to use underV any conditions and does not require a track prelaid to above grade.

grade or to a certain height A further object is to provide an apparatus for use in road building in which the crown boards or straight edges are mounted in a table suspended in a frame or carriage in such a manner that they may be readily made to conform to the desired grade line or elevation of the road, regardless of whether the frame or carriage of the apparatus is level or out of plumb.

A still further obj ect is to provide an apparatus for use in road building which is simple in construction, easy to operate and handle, and does not require any specially built track or the like.

These and other objects which will be hereinafter made apparent to those skilled in this particular art are accomplished by means of this invention, one embodiment of which is described in the following :specification and illustrated `in the Yaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the apparatus/illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line III-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. Llis a se Fig. 1;

ction taken online IV-IV of Fig. 5 is a plan Viewl partially broken away,

illustrating the means table in proper relation to paratus;

of Fig. 6;

for maintaining the edging the frame of the ap- A an apparatus embodyof my invention;

view taken on line VII-VII Fig. 8 is an enlarged View of a bucket adapted to be used withV my apparatus;

Fig. 9 is a partial view in side elevation illustrating the construction of the straight edge members; and VVFig. 10 is a Fig; 9.

In the drawin section taken on line X-X vof gs, I have illustrated an appa- 193s, serial No. 660,619.

(o1. .se- 174) p perfect riding surface-, In the construction or,

building. of roads it is customary to grade the land over which the road isbeing built and formv a base forl receiving the paving or improving-material,` such ascrushed stone, concrete or the like.

To secure a road which will stand up under l0 heavy traffic and which will have av smooth evenV surface, it is important that not only the surface 'of the pavingy material be free from waves caused by high and low spots, but also that the paving material bejof a uniform thickness. `.As a result, the base must be fairly close to grade to secure such thickness of the paving material-and the surface Aof that material must be to grade to secure asmooth` evenfriding surface. s

My improved apparatus for readily securing both the subgrade andthe finish grade in road building, comprises a frame or carriage lil which is mounted on flanged wheels Iladapted to roll along atrack l2. The track l2 which may be formed of wood or any othersuitable material, is made in sections which are adapted to be laid down on the roughy and irregular *gradev of the shoulders on each side of the road bed, so that as soon as the frame or carriage B is pushed from one section of the tracks to another, the sections vacated may be carried forward and laid down at the opposite 'end of the section on which the wheels of the frame then rests.

To grade or prove the crown of the road, the frame or carriage B has a table i3 mounted therein which comprises a pair of channel members 3 on which crown boards or straight edges i4 are assembled. So that the crown boards and edging tbale i3 will conform tothe desired subgrade or finish grade, regardless of the irregularities of the grade'of the track I2 and consequentlyv of the frame or kcarriage ill, I mount the table in the frame in such a way'that each corner thereof is capable of being raised and lowered relative to the frame to position the lower edges of the crown boards or straight edges i4 at the desired grade.

' To secure such relative movement-,between the table i3 and the irame or carriage lil, each corner ofthe table has a member I5 secured thereto which is provided with a threaded bore to receive a screw it revolubly supported in a casting llli secured to the framer ofk carriage l0. The screw I6 is so mounted in the casting I6 thatk it is free to tilt relative to the frame or carriage. To hold the table I3 in proper position within the frame IB a set of guides I'I are provided, one of each set being secured to the table I3 and the other to the frame or carriage I3, which keep the table in vertical line therein.

From this construction it is apparent that the table I3 is supported at only four points within the frame or carriage and as a result by raising or lowering the corners of the table, the straight edges or crown boards I4 may be readily made to conform to the desired grade even though the frame I of the apparatus is not level or is out of plumb.

So that the crown boards or straight edges I4 which extend longitudinally of the road may be adjusted to conform to the desired crown of the road, the ends of the crown boards or straight edges are adjustably mounted in the channels I3'. To move the crown boards or straight edges relative to the members I3' screws I8 are provided which extend through the webs of the channel members and through threaded extensions I8 formed on the ends of the crown boards or straight edges. By regulating the screws I8, the crown boards or straight edges I4 may be set so that the bottoms thereof define any desired crown of road.

In order that the adjustment needed to make the straight edges or crown boards I 4 in the table I3 conform to the desired subgrade or finish grade, targets are swingingly mounted on the table I3. These targets are adapted to swing out over the frame or carriage Iii over a chalk line, designated as 2 I, which has been previously strung along the side of the road by the engineer and denotes the finished grade lines, or elevations. When the targets 20 are swung over the chalk lines 2l each of the screws I5 is operated and the corners of the table I3 raised or lowered until the targets are just above the chalk line.

In operating my apparatus, the crown boards or the straight edges I4 are first adjusted in the table I3 so that the bottoms thereof conform to the desired crown of the subbase or finished road. That is to say, the crown boards or straight edges I4 are so adjusted that the bottom edges are in the same plane if a flat crown is desired, or dene a concave surface when a rounded crown is contemplated. After the crown boards or straight edges I4 have been set, the operator pushes the apparatus along the track I2 over a section of the road to be graded.

The targets 20 are then swung over the chalk line 2l denoting the grade and each of the screws IB adjusted until the corners of the table I3 have been raised or lowered to place the targets in a position where they just clear the chalk line. In such position the bottoms of the crown boards or straight edges then define the proper grade.

The operator then has a clear view of the pavement or subgrade covered by the apparatus for a space the full width of the road and the full length of the crown or edging boards I4 and can quickly see any irregularities therein. If any low or high spots appear at any place along the length of the crown or edge boards I4, the operator, if the grade is high, shovels out the surplus material and tosses it into a bucket 22 carried on a shelf 23 mounted on the frame or carriage, or if the grade is low the reverse operation is performed and the proper grade is therefore readily secured.

These buckets 22 are constructed with a high back 24 so that superfluous material may be readily thrown thereinto from any point within the confines of the table I3.

In Figs. 6 and 7, I have shown a modified form of my apparatus in which the crown boards extend transversely of the road instead of longitudinally.

This modified structure of my apparatus comprises a frame or carriage which is mounted on rollers 3| adapted to travel on a track similar inrconstruction to the track heretofore described and adapted to be laid ina like manner. Mounted within the frame or carriage 3U is a table 33, the longitudinal edges of which are in the form of a channel to provide a trolley track 34 for receiving trolleys 35 carrying crown boards 3S. The corners of the table 33 are adjustably mounted in the frame or carriage 30 by means of screws 3l whereby each corner of the table may be raised or lowered relative to the frame to place the bottom of the crown boards 36 at the proper or desired grade.

In the use of this structure the frame or carriage 33 is pushed over a section of the road'Y to be graded and the table 33 which carries targets similar to those in the previous r'nodiiication,`

one may beused to secure the base grade and the other may be used to secure the finish grade, or the two structures may be combined into one structure by connecting the channel members I3 of the modification illustrated in Fig. l with the trolleyY track side members 34 of the table 33. In such a combination, longitudinally ex`- tending straight edges I4 would be removed when it was desired to use the transverse crown boards, and the trolleys 35 carrying the crown boards 36 would be mounted in the track 34.

The straight edges I4 and the crown boards 3E which may be formed in any suitable way and of any suitable material are preferably made from a steel beam having a wooden shoe along the bottom thereof. Since the only difference of construction betweenY the straight edges and the crown boards is that the lower surface of the latter is curved to correspond to the crown of the road only the construction of one of the straight edges will be described. As shown in Figs. 9 and l0 my preferred straight edge I4 comprises a lattice work beam 4I) of substantially I-shape in section having a wooden shoe 4I secured to the bottom flange thereof. In order that the shoe 4I may be maintained as a perfect straight edge regardless of the shape of the 'beam 40 caused by the expansion and contraction or the like there-A of the lower flange of the beam V4H! is provided with transverse slots 42 through which bolts 43 extend for securing the shoe to the flange, The heads of the bolts 43 are countersunk in the lower face of the shoe 4I to present a smooth fiat surface on the bottom of the shoe. When the shape of the'beam has been changed due to any cause the shoe may be readily adjusted to maintain a true straight edge by loosening the bolts 43 and moving them in the proper direction in the slots 42 until the side of the shoe is again in a straight line. To readily unfasten the shoe from the flange of the beam the bolts 43 are threaded through washers 44 on the opposite side of the flange therefrom and are provided with thumbvknobs 45, thereby making it possible to readily loosen the bolts 43 and make the necessary adjustments in the shoe 4I.

It is readily apparent that I have provided an apparatus for use in road construction which does not reduire a level track or a track which has been brought to grade in order tosecure a perrect surface since each corner of thetable carrying the crown or straight edge boards is movable relative to. the frame or carriage of the apparatus and as a result the straight edge or crown boards may be readily set at the desired grade although the frame or carriage is not level' or is out of plumb due to the track being placed on rough or irregular shoulders at each side of the road.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my apparatus ashaving a straight edge table movable relative to the frame so that the crown boards carried thereby may be readily adjusted to the desired grade of the road, it is understood that the edging table may be rigidly secured to the frame or carriage and the frame or carriage mounted on the wheels in such a manner that it is adjustable relative thereto, lwhereby the frame or carriage carrying the straight edges and crown boards may be raised and lowered relative to the wheels to position the straight edges and crown boards to the desired grade regardless of the relation of the wheels to that grade. That is to say, the screw members shown in my preierred embodiments may be attached to` the frame and the axles of the apparatus so that vthe whole frame or carriage may be adjusted relative to the wheels.

While I have described one embodiment of my invention, it is to b-e understood that certain modications, changes, yand substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new'and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An apparatus of thel character described comprising a frame, an edging table, and separate means for supporting each cornerof said table in said frame, each of said means being independently adjustable, whereby the table can be raised and lowered relative to said frame and made to conform to grade line of `the road regardless of the position of the frame. f

2. An apparatus of the character described comprising a carriage, a table supported by said carriage and having a series of edging members therein, and means for attaching the corners of the table to said carriage. n

3. An apparatus of the character described comprising a frame, an edging table mounted in said frame, crown boards slidably mounted in said table, and means for raising and lowering said table relative to said frame.

4. An apparatus of the character described comprising a frame, channel members supported on said frame, edging members carried by said channel members, said channel and edging members forming an edging table, separate means for raising and lowering each corner of said table relative to said frame, .and guide means for holding said table in position within said frame.

5. An apparatus of the character described comprising a frame, a table supported at its corners in said frame, edging members mounted on said table, means for raising and lowering the ends of said edging members relative to said table,

and individual means for moving each corner of said table relative to the frame to place said edging members in position to conform to the gra-de of the road regardless ofthe relation of the frame to said grade. Y

6. An apparatus of the character described comprising a frame, a table, screw supporting means at the corners ofthe table" and frame, straight edge members mounted on said table and means for holding said table in vertical position within said traine.l

'7. An apparatus of the character described comprising a frame, a table Within said frame, means for individually and adjustably supporting each corner .of said table in said frame, and crownboards movable longitudinally within said table.

8. An apparatus of the character described ccmprising a frame, a table within said frame and supported at the corners thereof, means ior individually raising andv lowering each corner of said table relative to said frame, means for holding said table in position relative to said frame,

edging members Amounted on said table andY means for moving the ends of said edging members relative to said table.

9.l An apparatus of the character described comprising a frame, a table within said frame and supported at the corners thereof, crown boards carried by said table, means for raising and lowering each corner of the table relative to the frame to position said crown boards to the desired grade, means for holding the table in position within said frame, and means for readily determining the amount of raising or lowering necessary to make each corner of the table Vconform to the desired grade.

l0. An apparatus for use in road grading comprising a carriage, a table mounted onsaid carriage, a series of edging members movably mounted in said table, means for moving said edging members relative to said table and screw means for raising and lowering said table relative to said carriage to place said edging members in position to conform to the desired grade.

11. An apparatus for use in grading of roads comprising a wheeled carriage, a table supported by said carriage, edging members carried by said table, separate means for changing the position of each corner of said table relative to the wheels whereby the edging members can be readily adjusted to grade.

l2. An apparatus o1" the character described comprising a substantially rectangular hollow, wheeled carriage, a table,v means for independently and adjustably securing each corner of said table to said carriage, edging members and means for adjustably securing the ends of said edging members to said table.

EDWARD I-I. CANON. 

